In 2016 HP Global CMO Antonio Lucio called for more diversity within his company and at its advertising agency partners. HP’s top five roster agencies met the challenge and reported a 20-point jump in women on their creative account teams within one year. The 53 ad campaigns created after the diversity initiative’s launch showed a one-third increase in revenue per impression, according to Nielsen data.

HP’s results make a strong case for building diverse teams in marketing and beyond. Last month, speakers at the Forbes-powered I.D.E.A Summit shared further inspiration on the diversity imperative for serving your business and customers alike.

“You can’t solve a problem that you can’t measure and see.” – Tina Tchen, Former Chief of Staff to Michelle Obama & Exec. Dir. of White House Council on Women and Girls/ Partner, Buckley Sandler LLP and lead lawyer for Time's Up Legal Defense Fund

“Check out Micky ScottBey Jones, who has an amazing poem called 'Invitation to Brave Space.' Her concept is that it’s not about safe space, because safe space doesn’t exist.It’s about creating a brave space where we can have these brave conversations.” – Natalia Oberti Noguera, Founder & CEO, Pipeline Angels

12. On doing less vs. more:

“We don’t need to do more. The action of excluding women, of excluding minorities, is already happening. We need to do less of that.” – Jesse Williams, Actor & Activist